of adoring pity. Tartuffe is a scoundrelly hypocrite and pretended saint, who has got the ascendancy in the house of his dupe, and repays him for it by every species of villainy. The lady's-maid has found him out, and would fain enlighten her master, but to no purpose. Orgon. Well, Dorina, has everything been going on as it should do these two days? How do they all do? And what have they been about? Dorine. My mistress was ill the day before yesterday with a fever. She had a headache quite dreadful to think of. Org. And Tartuffe ? Dor. Tartuffe ! Oh he is wonderfully well; fat and hearty; with a fresh complexion, and a mouth as red as a rose. Org. (turning about with an air of fondness). Poor soul ! Dor. In the evening my mistress was taken ill, and could n't touch a bit at supper, her head was so bad. Org. And Tartuffe ? Dor. Oh, seeing she couldn't eat, he ate by himself; and very Orgon. Dorine Tout s'est-il, ces deux jours, passe de bonne sorte ? Qu'est-ce qu'on fait céans? Comme est-ce qu'on s'y porte? Dorine. Madame eut avant hier la fièvre jusqu'au soir Avec un mal de tête étrange à concevoir. Org. Et Tartuffe ? Dor. Tartuffe il se porte a merveille, Gros et gras, le teint frais, et la bouche vermeille. Org. Le pauvre homme ! Dor. Le soir, elle eut un grand dégoût, Et ne put, au souper, toucher à rien du tout: Tant sa douleur de tête étoit encor cruelle ! Org. Et Tartuffe ? Dor. Il souper, lui tout seul, devant elle; devoutly swallowed two partridges, with a good half of a hashed leg of mutton. Org. Poor soul! Dor. My mistress didn't shut her eyes all night. The fever hindered her from getting a wink of sleep; so that we were obliged to watch by her till morning. Org. And Tartuffe ? Dor. Tartuffe, happy gentleman, with a comfortable yawn, goes right from table to bed, where he plunges into his warm nest, and sleeps soundly till morning. Org. Poor soul! Dor. At last we prevailed upon madame to be bled, which gave her great relief. Org. And Tartuffe ? Dor. Monsieur Tartuffe was very much relieved also. He found Et fort dévotement il mangea deux perdrix, Avec une moitié de gigot en hachis. Org. Le pauvre homme ! Dor. La nuit se passa tout entière Sans qu'elle put fermer un moment la paupière; Dor. himself charming; and to repair the loss of blood which madame had sustained, took four good swigs of wine with his breakfast. Org. Poor soul ! Dor. In short, they are both very well now; so I'll go and tell my mistress you are coming, and how happy you are to hear she is recovered. Pour réparer le sang qu'avoit perdu madame, Dor. Tous deux se portent bien enfin : Et je vais à madame annoncer, par avance, La part que vous prenez a sa convalescence. But I must try to get over my ground a little faster, or this Essay will take up the whole volume, and become an overture with no play to it. 7th, Any kind of Juxtaposition of Ideas having a Pleasant Effect, down to those depending on Sound ; such as Puns, Macaronic Poetry, Half-Jargon Burdens of Songs, and even Nonsense Verses.-This is a wide range, and is intended to include everything in Barrow's account of Wit, which is omitted in the foregoing sections. The reader will have observed that we have for some time been in the region of Humour as well as Wit. I shall endeavour to show the distinct remaining portions of the former presently. The section before us is a kind of play-ground common to both. Animal spirits are here in their most fugitive passages and most arbitrary freaks of caprice. But I must endeavour not to let them detain me. Contempt expressed of one person by praise of another: With him came mighty Davies.-On my life, That Davies hath a very pretty wife. Churchill of the Actors. Extravagant imputation against a character, producing a true general impression of it :— Narcissa's nature, tolerably mild, To make a wash would HARDLY stew a child. Pope. Subtle and confounding contradiction of appear ances: Zara resembles Etna crown'd with snows; Thus gloomy Zara, with a solemn grace, Deceives mankind, and hides behind her face. Young's Love of Fame. One excessive conceit refuted by greater excess in another : My wound is great, because it is so small. [Dryden's lover, (in one of his plays) lamenting an unworthy passion.] Then't would be greater, were it none at all. [Buckingham, from the side boxes.] An exception without one : The Germans in Greek Are sadly to seek ; Not one in five-score, But ninety-nine more; All save only Herman, And-Herman's a German. Porson, of the German Professors. The monotonous jingle in the last line of this epigram on the words Herman and German gives double effect to its air of indifference or nullification. Contemptuous mimicry. Sound echoing to the sense: Hear the pretty ladies talk, Tittle tattle, tittle tattle: Dr. Darwin. This is very ungallant of the Doctor: but he was a ladies' man not of the most sentimental order; and such are always ready to become their satirists. Hear a greater genius of the same class, crowning his love with the king of rhymes : But oh! ye lords of ladies intellectual, Inform us truly,-have n't they hen-peck'd you all? Don Juan, Canto i. Butler is so profuse of good and astounding rhymes, that they become a part of his wit, by the increase and gaiety of the surprise. The best of them are brought together in the present volume. Here are two excellent ones of Prior's, the latter |